Gran Canaria

Spain

Playa Del Cura Travel Guide

Situated on the southwest coast of Gran Canaria, about an hour's
drive from the airport at Las Palmas, is the small, quiet holiday
resort of Playa Del Cura, built on the cliff sides lining the
coast. This low-key family resort is just two miles (3km) from
lively, hectic Puerto Rico, the island's well-known holiday and
nightlife resort, but Playa del Cura remains popular as a peaceful
place to stay while granting easy access to the bright lights and
amenities of its more flamboyant neighbour. Playa del Cura is on
the main coastal bus route so travelling to other resorts is easy,
and taxis are cheap and plentiful. The holiday resort has two
small, pretty cove beaches, Cura and Tauro, at the base of the
cliffs, both covered with dark volcanic sand and pebbles, and
strewn with sunbeds so that visitors can make the most of some of
the best weather in Gran Canaria. A short distance away is the
popular stretch of the Amadores beach. The rocky coastline, and
valley extending inland, provides opportunities for those keen on
walking excursions. There is a small commercial centre equipped
with enough stores, bars and restaurants to provide for all holiday
requirements.

The commercial centre of Playa Del Cura is a few hundred yards
from the beach, its anchor store being a large Spar supermarket
with an in-store bakery which stocks all requirements for
vacationers. There are also a few gift and souvenir stores. For
more serious shopping, however, visitors can take a bus or taxi to
nearby Puerto Rico where it is possible to buy literally anything
and everything at three huge shopping malls, including the sought
after duty-free electrical goods, photographic equipment and
perfumes.

Playa del Cura offers a fairly good choice of restaurants,
mostly situated in the commercial centre. There are seafood
restaurants with excellent fish dishes, as well as other food
styles on offer. Bistro 22 is perhaps the best known restaurant in
Playa del Cura, and the Guantanamo Canarian restaurant is also
popular.

Those in search of all-night clubbing and pubbing will have to
take the 10-minute bus or taxi drive across to Puerto Rico to
satisfy their craving, but those looking for more relaxed evenings
will be well catered for in one of Playa del Cura's bars. There are
several fun pubs, like Pio Pio on Tauro beach, which offers open
house jam sessions on Sunday evenings, or the Irish bar, Old
Brouge, and its counterpart Welsh bar, Fleur de Lys, both on the
upper level of the commercial centre. Several of the larger hotels
offer their own entertainment, which is open to non-guests.

For water sports and swimming it is best to head for the white,
sandy Amadores beach across the bay, where the whole gamut of fun
in the sun from waterskiing to scuba diving is available. Other
sporting facilities like tennis and squash courts are to be found
in the vicinity, especially in nearby Puerto Rico, which is
well-supplied with amenities, including water parks, amusement
parks and mini-golf. Playa del Cura is well situated on the tourist
route for excursions to the capital, Las Palmas, or visits to other
parts of Gran Canaria.

Playa del Cura is built on steep cliffs, therefore not suited to
the elderly or those with difficulty walking. Families with
teenagers may find entertainment is limited for this age group.
Swimmers should be wary of the strong currents off both of Playa
del Cura's beaches.